children of the whirlwind-第30章

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ot　so　keen　about　her　cousin　and　her　uncle。　I'd　met　the　cousin　a　few　times　the　last　year　or　two　around　town；　he　belongs　here。　The　two　are　the　sort　of　poor　stock　that　crops　out　in　every　good　family。　They've　got　one　merit；　though：　they　don't　try　to　impose　on　her　too　much。〃

〃What　is　your　Miss　Cameron　doing　in　New　York？〃

〃Having　her　first　look　at　the　town　before　going　to　some　resort　for　the　summer；　perhaps　taking　a　cottage　somewhere。　I　say；　Captain〃leaning　closer〃I　wish　you　didn't　feel　you　had　to　stick　around　this　apartment　so　tight。　I'd　like　to　take　you　out　and　introduce　you　to　her。〃

Larry　could　imagine　the　resulting　scene　if　ever　this　innocently　proposed　introduction　were　given。

〃I　guess　that　for　the　present　I'll　have　to　depend　upon　your　reports；　Dick。〃

〃Well；　you　can　take　it　from　me　that　she's　just　about　all　right！〃

It　was　Larry's　strange　instinct　to　protect　Maggie　that　prompted　his　next　remark：

〃You're　not　just　out　joy…riding；　are　you；　Dick？〃

Dick　flushed。　〃Nothing　of　that　sort。　She's　not　that　kind　of　girl。　BesidesI　think　it's　the　real　thing；　Captain。〃

The　honest　look　in　Dick's　eyes；　even　more　than　his　words；　quieted　Larry's　fear　for　Maggie。　Presently　Dick　walked　out　leaving　Larry　yet　another　problem　added　to　his　life。　He　could　not　let　anything　happen　to　Maggie。　He　could　not　let　anything　happen　to　Dick。　He　had　to　protect　each；　he　had　to　do　something。　Yet　what　could　he　do？

Yes；　this　certainly　was　a　problem！　He　paced　the　room；　another　victim　of　the　ancient　predicament　of　divided　and　antagonistic　duty。




CHAPTER　XIX


The　night　of　Larry's　unexpected　call　upon　her　at　the　Grantham；　Maggie　had　pulled　herself　together　and　aided　by　the　imposing　Miss　Grierson　had　done　her　best　as　ingenue　hostess　to　her　pseudo…cousin；　Barney；　and　her　pseudo…uncle；　Old　Jimmie；　and　to　their　quarry；　Dick　Sherwood；　whom　they　were　so　cautiously　stalking。　But　when　Dick　had　gone；　and　when　Miss　Grierson　had　withdrawn　to　permit　her　charge　a　little　visit　with　her　relatives；　Barney　had　been　prompt　with　his　dissatisfaction。

〃What　was　the　matter　with　you　to…night；　Maggie？〃　he　demanded。　〃You　didn't　play　up　to　your　usual　form。〃

〃If　you　don't　like　the　way　I　did　it；　you　may　get　some　one　else；〃　Maggie　snapped　back。

〃Aw；　don't　get　sore。　If　I'm　stage…managing　this　show；　I　guess　it's　my　business　to　tell　you　how　to　act　the　part；　and　to　tell　you　when　you're　endangering　the　success　of　the　piece　by　giving　a　poor　performance。〃

〃Maybe　you'd　better　get　some　one　else　to　take　my　part　right　now。〃

Maggie's　tone　and　look　were　implacable。　Barney　moved　uneasily。　That　was　the　worst　about　Maggie：　she　wouldn't　take　advice　from　any　one　unless　the　advice　were　a　coincidence　with　or　an　enlargement　of　her　own　wishes；　and　she　was　particularly　temperish　to…night。　He　hastened　to　appease　her。

〃I　guess　the　best　of　us　have　our　off　days。　It's　all　right　unless〃　Barney　hesitated；　business　fear　and　jealousy　suddenly　seizing　him　〃unless　the　way　you　acted　tonight　means　you　don't　intend　to　go　through　with　it？〃

〃Why　shouldn't　I　go　through　with　it？〃

〃No　reason。　Unless　you　acted　as　you　did　to…night　because〃again　Barney　hesitated；　again　jealousy　prompted　him　on〃because　you've　heard　in　some　way　from　Larry　Brainard。　Have　you　heard　from　Larry？〃

Maggie　met　his　gaze　without　flinching。　She　would　take　the　necessary　measures　in　the　morning　with　Miss　Grierson　to　keep　that　lady　from　indiscreet　talking。

〃I　have　not　heard　from　Larry；　and　if　I　had；　it　wouldn't　be　any　of　your　business；　Barney　Palmer！〃

He　chose　to　ignore　the　verbal　slap　in　his　face　of　her　last　phrase。　〃No；　I　guess　you　haven't　heard　from　Larry。　And　I　guess　none　of　us　will　hear　from　himnot　for　a　long　time。　He's　certainly　fixed　himself　for　fair！〃

〃He　sure　has；〃　agreed　Old　Jimmie。

Maggie　said　nothing。

〃Seems　to　me　we've　got　this　young　Sherwood　hooked；〃　said　Old　Jimmie；　who　had　been　impatient　during　this　unprofitable　bickering。　〃Seems　to　me　it's　time　to　settle　just　how　we're　going　to　get　his　dough。　How　about　it；　Barney？〃

〃Plenty　of　time　for　that；　Jimmie。　This　is　a　big　fish；　and　we've　got　to　be　absolutely　sure　we've　got　him　hooked　so　he　can't　get　off。　We've　got　to　play　safe　here；　it's　worth　waiting　for；　believe　me。　Besides；　all　the　while　Maggie's　getting　practice。〃

〃Seems　to　me　we　ought　to　make　our　clean…up　quick。　So　thatso　that〃

〃See　hereyou　think　you　got　some　other　swell　game　you　want　to　use　Maggie　in？〃

Old　Jimmie's　shifty　gaze　wavered　before　Barney's　glare。

〃No。　But　she's　my　daughter；　ain't　she？〃

〃Yes。　But　who's　running　this？〃　Barney　demanded。　Thank　Heavens；　Old　Jimmie　was　one　person　he　did　not　have　to　treat　like　a　prima　donna！

〃You　are。〃

〃Then　shut　up；　and　let　me　run　it！〃

〃You　might　at　least　tell　if　you've　decided　how　you're　going　to　run　it；〃　persisted　Old　Jimmie。

〃Will　you　shut　up！〃　snapped　Barney。

Old　Jimmie　said　no　more。　And　having　asserted　his　supremacy　over　at　least　one　of　the　two；　Barney　relented　and　condescended　to　talk；　lounging　back　in　his　chair　with　that　self…conscious　grace　which　had　helped　make　him　a　figure　of　increasing　note　in　the　gayer　restaurants　of　New　York。

It　did　not　enter　into　Barney's　calculations；　present　or　for　the　future；　to　make　Maggie　the　mistress　of　any　man。　Not　that　Barney　was　restrained　by　moral　considerations。　The　thing　was　just　bad　business。　Such　a　woman　makes　but　comparatively　little；　and　what　is　worse；　if　she　chooses；　she　makes　it　all　for　herself。　And　Barney；　in　his　cynical　wisdom　of　his　poor　world；　further　knew　that　the　average　man　enticed　into　this　poor　trap；　after　the　woman　has　said　yes；　and　after　the　first　brief　freshness　has　lost　its　bloom；　becomes　a　tight…wad　and　there　is　little　real　money　to　be　got　from　him　for　any　one。

〃It's　like　this：　once　we've　got　this　Sherwood　bird　safely　hooked；〃　expanded　Barney　with　the　air　of　an　authority；　flicking　off　his　cigarette　ash　with　his　best　restaurant　manner；　〃we　can　play　the　game　a　hundred　ways。　But　the　marriage　proposition　is　the　best　bet；　and　there　are　two　best　ways　of　working　that。〃

〃Which　d'you　think　we　ought　to　use；　Barney？〃　inquired　Old　Jimmie。

But　Barney　went　on　as　if　the　older　man　had　not　asked　a　question。　〃Both　ways　depend　upon　Sherwood　being　crazy　in　love；　and　upon　his　coming　across　with　a　proposal　and　sticking　to　it。　The　first　way；　after　being　proposed　to；　Maggie　must　break　down　and　confess　she's　married　to　a　man　she　doesn't　love　and　who　doesn't　love　her。　This　husband　would　probably　give　her　a　divorce；　but　he's　a　cagy　guy　and　is　out　for　the　coin；　and　if　he　smelled　that　she　wanted　to　remarry　some　one　with　money　he　would　demand　a　large　price　for　her　freedom。　Maggie　must　further　confess　that　she　really　has　no　money；　and　is　therefore　helpless。　Then　Sherwood　offers　to　meet　the　terms　of　this　brute　of　a　husband。　If　Sherwood　falls　for　this　we　shove　in　a　dummy　husband　who　takes　Sherwood's　doughand　a　big　bank　roll　it　will　be！and　that'll　be　the　last　Sherwood'll　ever　see　of　Maggie。〃

Old　Jimmie　nodded。　〃When　it's　worked　right；　that　always　brings　home　the　kale。〃

〃The　only　question　is；〃　continued　Barney；　〃can　Maggie　put　that　stuff　over？　How　about　it；　Maggie？　Think　you're　good　enough　to　handle　a　proposition　like　that？〃

Looking　the　handsome　Barney　straight　in　the　eyes；　Maggie　for　the　moment　thought　only　of　his　desire　to　manage　her　and　of　the　challenge　in　his　tone。　Larry　and　the　appeal　he　had　made　to　her　were　forgotten；　as　was　also　Dick　Sherwood。

〃Anything　you're　good　enough　to　think　up；　Barney　Palmer；　I　guess　I'm　good　enough　to　put　over；〃　she　answered　coolly。

And　then：　〃What's　the　other　way？〃　she　asked。

〃Old　stuff。　Have　to　be　a　sure…enough　marriage。　Sherwoods　are　big…time　people；　you　know；　a　sister　who's　a　regular　somebody。　After　marriage；　family　permitted　to　learn　truthperhaps　something　much　worse　than　truth。　Family　horrified。　They　pay　Maggie　a　big　wad　for　a　separation　same　as　so　many　horrified　families　get　rid　of　daughters…in…law　they　don't　like。　Which　of　the　ways　suits　you　best；　Maggie？〃

Maggie　shrugged　her　shoulders　with　indifference。　It　suited　her　present　mood　to　maintain　her　attitude　of　being　equal　to　any　enterprise。

〃Which　do　you　like　best；　Barney？〃　Old　Jimmie　asked。

〃The　second　is　safer。　But　then　it's　slower；　and　there　would　be　lawyers'　fees　w